SB Nation User Blog: Rusty the Robot

Depressing new ESPN salary tool

Rusty the Robot — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:10:45 -0000

Depressing new ESPN salary tool

Mark Texeira equals my annual salary after 1 hit or 3 ABs. Suddenly, I feel very statistically insignificant.

Buster Posey won't stick at catcher

Rusty the Robot — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:57:08 -0000

It's been mentioned here before, but I'll add to everyone's misery. Buster Posey is not a good catcher. I am in Oahu today and have just witnessed some very, very bad fundamentals. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, but here's what I saw:

Gerald's blocking skills are nearly non-existent. For an ex-shortstop, Posey has some real limitations with staying in front of balls on the dirt. He has a bad habit of reaching across his body for pitches going to his right. In the eighth inning, he did block two absolutely filthy sliders that bounced six inches in front of home. The first bad slider was textbook. The second one got past him -- going to his left about three feet -- for the game tying run. To make things worse, he didn't pick up the ball to his left and flipped it over the pitcher's head when he recovered. The go-ahead run scored on this error. Basically, his ball blocking skills are not even remotely major league quality. I sat next to another player's dad and he had a ton of complaints about Posey's blocking.
Posey had only a few opportunities to throw out base runners, but disappointed me on those few plays. (BTW, his pitchers didn't help as they hardly threw over to first.) Posey's footwork on throws to second is pretty pedistrian. Basically, good catchers have a quick rock step to catch, transfer and throw. Posey, on the other hand, caught the ball, backed into a half rock step and threw with only a fraction of his total arm stregth. The throws to second, while not ducks, were definitely not lasers either. As a comparison, Posey's throw to second in between innings were lasers since he had all the time in the world to get his lower half in proper position.
His game calling seems a bit suspect. Waldis Joaquin was pitching today (The real deal, btw. 90-95 with little effort. Good slider. Average/fringe changeup.) Joaquin got a lot of hitters in 0-2 and 1-2 counts. Posey called high fastballs a few times, but kept setting the target at the bottom of the letters. Usually, the point is to go above the letters. Make the fastball look fat, but put it in a spot that is tough to do something with. Most hitters can kill a fastball at the bottom part of the letters. Luckily Waldis' fastball is good enough where the batter only fouled off the offering. Also, it seemed like Posey hardly called sliders on two strike counts, probably because of the blocking issue.

While I get that it is early and Posey is probably two to three years away from the show, I find it hard to believe that he is this far behind. He needs a ton of instruction on the basics. I honestly think that Posey might be better for a corner infield spot.

I do have some understanding of issue here. I caught for 4 years in high school and still play hardball in a wood bat league. Posey's best skill right now is pure arm strength and framing pitches. Everything else below average. Especially since this kid signed for $6.2M.

Sign Furcal. Make the Dodgers unhappy.

Rusty the Robot — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:39:55 -0000

So, Rafael Furcal is neither a Type A nor B free agent. This is awesome. We can sign him to a deal without giving up a draft pick, solve an area of need, and steal him from the Bums. Where do we sign up?

BTW, this might be the best shopping strategy of all -- signing free agents out of spite. Forget analyzing OBP, WHIP, HB/IP, or whatever. We should quantify how much signing a free agent away from another team pisses them off. That would make me smile.

Sabes using a new GM cheatsheet?

Rusty the Robot — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:15:06 -0000

I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet, but I'll still try to make some sense.

The best thing that might happen to the Giants is to get stuck with Bengie Molina and Randy Winn. The projected Elias ranking places them comfortably as Type A Free Agents. Barring a disastrous 2009 season, they should bring back two draft picks when they leave. That gives Sabean some leverage with trading partners going into the offseason -- send me players that are a surer thing than a sandwich pick.

So, given that Sabean didn' t hold a fire sale and is starting to build a system with some positional talent, I really think he's starting to get his mojo back. We're going to be good again. I swear.

Manny to the Bums

Rusty the Robot — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:16:47 -0000

Can't wait for him to whine about agreeing to decline arbitration and losing his option years. Dude is going to be in for a rude awakening during the offseason.

Also, this is going to suck for all the other outfielders not named Manny Ramirez.

Think the Dodgers make the playoffs?

75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75

Whasamattahwit Nomar?

Rusty the Robot — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:48:52 -0000

Start the chants now. Apparently Nomar and Andruw will be back starting Friday.

HE'S A BUM!

Me wants a new CYOA dammit!

Rusty the Robot — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:32:12 -0000

Grant, write a new CYOA. It's all I live for. PRETTY PLEASE!!!!!! WITH SUGAR ON TOP, TOO!!!!!!!!

Dammit, I'm dying in anticipation.

Must write another paragraph. There is a 75 word minimum on FanPosts. Boo. Now I am just rambling on and on. This sucks. Did I mention I would like to choose my own adventure? I really liked those books as a kid. Much better than the Romona Quimby crap books. Who names their kid Beezus? Am I at 75 words yet?

GIANTS (no longer) TIED FOR FIRST PLACE - Magic Number = 163

Rusty the Robot — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:23:36 -0000

I want to climb mountain-tops to shout this far and wide as this will be the only time this year that this will be true.

Sigh...

Mathis? Kotchman? Messenger?

Rusty the Robot — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:19:51 -0000

It's Friday and I'm being a jackass...

Apparatenly, the Giants are interested in Casey Kotchman and Jeff Mathis. Hooray. We have nothing the Angels want outside of something we really need to keep (i.e. pitching). Hell, if we can get both, how about Molina and Sanchez. I would want another prospect in the deal since pitching and veteran catching are premiums.

Now for the jackass part...

What the hell happened to Randy Messenger?

Sorry, I haven't seen his name in a week or so...